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Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Abita Strawberry Harvest

You know Spring is around the corner when Abita's Strawberry Harvest starts hitting the shelves. This is a seasonal beer that has gained serious popularity in the last few years. It's also one of the only beers my wife will tolerate. I guess that means it's either really good or absolutely terrible. We'll find out shortly.

Strawberry Harvest uses Louisiana strawberries "picked late in the season when they're at their sweetest." I am not sure if that's true or not, but it sounds legit to me!

The appearance is a hazed orange hue. There is a minimal head that fades quickly.

The aroma is pleasant. A slight sweetness (definitely strawberry) is noticed and then quickly overshadowed by a strong yeast smell. Imagine your grandma baking fresh strawberry bread in the oven, if such a thing exists.

The taste is very similar to the smell. I get a lot of bread and yeast with a subtle strawberry flavor, most prevalent on the finish. The beer is light and crisp, which goes well with the Spring season. But this one is probably too yeasty for me to give it a raving review. It's good, not great.

I have read some reviews where people go on about the strawberry flavors in this beer. I have to be honest, I don't think this beer has all that much flavor to begin with, and it certainly isn't "full of strawberries" as people have written in various reviews. Let's be clear about describing what this beer is and not misrepresent it by embellishing on the flavors.

Strawberry Harvest is a refreshingly light beer with a nice splash of strawberry juice which makes this beer a perfect companion to a warm Spring afternoon.

Is it my favorite? No. Will I have any trouble finishing the six pack that's in my fridge? Absolutely not. Strawberry Harvest is a refreshing transition away from the heavier ales that we all drink in the winter months. And my wife enjoys it, which means we can actually enjoy this one together. So there's some extra points right there.